What do you do when you are working with people who make it look like they love you but they don’t? Do you keep being nice to them or can you totally ignore them?

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It is difficult to associate with people who act like they care for you, but, in reality, do not care for you. The Lord, Himself, knew about this. He said in Matthew 15:8, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” The Lord is the one who knows the heart, and He knew these people pretended to honor Him with words and outward observances, when in fact, their hearts were far from Him. It’s said prophetically of the Lord in Psalms 69:4, “They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head…” Not only did these people not love the Lord, they truly hated Him. For what reason did they hate Him? Their hatred was without a cause. The Lord had never done anything to cause the hatred of man. He came in love to save sinful man, yet they hated them.

So, what are we to do with people hypocritical people who only pretend to love us? We are to love them in spite of the way they treat us. The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 5:44, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” In these verses, we have four responsibilities brought out for us concerning those who hate us. We are to love them, bless them, do good to them, and pray for them. In all these things, the Lord Jesus is our perfect example. We read in 1 Peter 2:21-24, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”

Let’s read Romans 12:20-21, “Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” What a blessing we can be to others if only we will walk in the truth of God’s Word! If we allow the actions of others to hinder us from showing the love of Christ, then we are being overcome of evil. Rather, we should overcome their evil by acts of kindness and ministering to their needs. When we do that; we “heap coals of fire” on the heads of our enemies. What does that mean? It really means that when we show the love of Christ to those who mistreat us, we will cause their conscience to burn with shame and regret for their behavior. When that happens, we are able to tell them about the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and possibly lead them to put their faith in the Lord. 2 Thessalonians 3:13 tells us, “But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.” So, do not give up on those around you. The Lord loves them and wants to save them; and He may use you as an instrument of their salvation. (108.5)